Harvester-reel



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIAM H. H. FREEMAN, `OF NEWTON, KANSAS.

HARVESTER-REEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,360, dated March 9, 1880.

i Application filed January 3, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. H. FREE- MAN, of Newton, in the county of Harvey and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reel for a Machine for Cutting Small Grain, of which the following is a specification.

Figure l is a perspective View, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of reel-shaft, and Fig. 3 is a partial end view.

Myinvention relates to harvester-reels which are employed for the purpose of pressing backward and holding the stalks of grain in position for being severed by the knives, and which are especially adapted to machines for cutting small grain. y

The object of my invention is to construct a reel which shall have sufficient resiliency to prevent the breakage of any of its parts by meeting with some obstaclewhile the machine is in motion also to dispense with the usual wood work, which heretofore has entered largely into the structure of reels; also to pro vide a reel which will not revolve so long as an obstacle is in the way, although the motion ofthe machine continues; also to provide means for regulating the spring-power, which will be in opposition to theresistance of any obstacle which the reel may meet with.

To such ends-my inventiorrconsists, first, in employing a spring in connection with a canifaced sprocket-wheel, and in the mode of connecting such spring with the reelshaft; secondly, in the general construction of the reelbeaters and means for connecting them with the reel-shaft; thirdly, in combining spiral springs with the reel-shaft and reel; and, fourthly, in the construction and arrangement of certain detail parts, as herein fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring by letters to the annexed drawings, A designates the reel-shaft, upon which is loosely mounted asprocket-wlieel, B. This wheel is formed with a series of cam-projections, G, upon each one of its sides. Aband, D, on the reelshaft prevents the wheel B from slipping off, this band or strap being secured by a pimE. A spring, F, which engages with the cams on the wheel B, is se- 5o cured in place by eyebolts G. The eyes of these bolts are elongated, as shown.

H designates metal straps, which are curled around the reel-shaft and tted upon the eyes of the bolts, one end of each strap being lbelow and the other end being above the spring.

Wedge-shaped keys I are inserted through the eyes above the straps H, for the purpose of tightening the same down upon the spring.

The eyebolt nearest to the sprocket-wheel passes through a slot in the reel-shaft, whereby the eyebolt and band connected with it may be shifted, so as to vary the power of the spring. by increasing or decreasing its length.

The reel-beaters K are made of metal rods, which are bent in proper form and secured to disks L by means of bolts M, which have hooked ends N. The hook portions of these bolts embrace the ends of the beaters K and hold ,them tightly upon the disks. Each disk L is formed with a sleeve, O, provided with a slot, O at two points. Apin, P, passes through the reel-shaft, and also through the slots O' in the sleeves O, whereby the disks will have a limited rotary play upon the shaft.

Q designates spiral springs, which are secured to the reelfshaft and to the disks L.

The disks have holes R, into which the ends of the springs are fitted, and by reason of such arrangement the disks may be adjusted upon the reel-shaft, soas to give a twist to the reel.

When the reel encounters any obstacle the springs effectively prevent breakage, which would occur if the parts were rigid. The reelchain passes around the sprocket-wheel, as usual, and the Vspring which engages with its cams prevents it from rotating independently of the shaft.

The Wheel is made with two sets of cams, so that it may be placed .on either end ofthe shaft and still be serviceable in the manner above described, it being understood that in such case a change of the spring and eyebolts would also be made.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a harvester-reel, the sprooket-uheel B, l with the reel-shaft, spiral springs Q, and pin with cams upon its sides, in combination with passed through the shaft and slotted sleeve, 1o

the spring F, substantially as seb forth. substantially as set forth.

2. ln a. harvester-reel the sprocket-Wheel B 5 with earns C, the sprngF, and eyebolts G; WILLIAM H' H' FREEMAN' combined substantially as shown. Witnesses:

3. The reeLbeaters K and disks L, with F. E. NELSON,

sleeves O, having slot-s O', in combination M. M. KENDALL. 

